Question: Express this number in scientific notation. $0.000\;097\;81$
Answer: Count the zeroes to the right of the decimal point before the leading $\leadingColor{9}$ : there are $4$ zeroes If you count the leading digit $\leadingColor{9}$ and those zeroes , there are $\exponentColor{5}$ digits to the right of the decimal point. So: $0.000\;097\;81 = \leadingColor{9}.781 \times 10^{\exponentColor{-5}}$